Horse oollae



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

o. A, R. AHL.

HORSE COLLAR.

No. 585,653. Patented Mar. 12, 1895.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 2.

C. A. R. AHL.

HORSE COLLAR.

Patented Mar. 12,1895.

NITE TATES FMC.

ATENT CARL AUGUST RICHARD AHL, on DRESDEN, ASSIeNoR oE oNE-HALETC oTTo ECRBRICH, oE CHEMNITZ, GERMANY.

HORSE-COLLAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,653, dated March 12, 1 895.

Application iiled April 23, 1892. Serial No. 430.291.

(No model.) Patented in Germany February 21, 1892, No. 64,823: in

Switzerland March 1,1892,No.4,'728; in England March 3, 1892, No. 4,249; in Belgium `March 15,1892,No.98,622; in Italy May 10, 1892, XXVI, 31,649, LXII, 254; in France Tune 10, 1892, No. 219,816; in Norway June 15, 1892, No. 2,596; in Austria-Hungary July 7, 1892,1)10 14,096 and No. 32,211; in Russia August 23, 1892, No. 9,849; in Canada October 14,1892, No. 40,669; in Denmark December 5,1892, and in Sweden June 1. 1893, Nol 4,428.

:To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, CARL AUGUST RICHARD AHL, a subject of the King of Saxony, residing at Dresden, Saxony, German Empire, have invented certain` new and useful Improvements in Horse-Collars, (for which Letters Patent have been obtained iu Germany, No. 64,823, dated February 21, 1892; in France, No. 219,8l6,dated June 10, 1892; in Belgium, No. 98,622, dated March 15, 1892; in Denmark, dated December 5, 1892; in Norway, No. 2,596, dated J une 15, 1892 g in Sweden, No.4,428,dated June 1, 1893; in Italy, No. 31,649, Vol. XXVI, and No. 254, Vol. LXII, dated May 10, 1892; in Switzerland, No. 4,728, dated March 1, 1892; in England, No. 4,249, dated March 8,1892; in Austria-Hungary, No. 14,096 and No. 32,211, dated July 7, 1892; in Russia, No. 9,849, dated August 23, 1892, and in Canada, No. 40,669, dated October 14, 1892,) of which the following is a specication.

The subject of this invention is an improved horse-collar in which friction against the neck of the animal is prevented by means of a small saddle adapted to be suitably adj usted in relation to the collar. This saddle is to remain stationary on the back of the horse, at the base of the neck, while the collar proper is so pivoted or linked to it (say by means of a ball` and socket or equivalent joint) that it freely follows every movement of the animals neck without sliding in frictional contact with the skin.

The value of this improvement will easily be appreciated when it is remembered how severely horses have hitherto suifered especially in drawing heavy vehicles, such as carts and the like, from the constant mutual displacement of the neck and collar and the consequent friction and pain.

In the accompanying drawings one form of the improved horse-collar is represented and it will be seen that in this arrangement in addition to the advantage just set forth, ad-

j ustability in various other directions is pro' vided for. The collar may here vary not only in width as it has done in certain well-known constructions before, (both at the top and bottom) but also in height, so that it may fit horses necks of any size.

, Figure 1 of the drawings is a front view of the improved collar. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross section of one ofthe side pieces or pads with the device for attaching the traces in elevation. Fig. 4 is a section on an enlarged scale of one of the side pieces with the rod movable or adjustable therein, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the joint by which the saddle and collar proper are connected.

A are the two side pieces of the collar, connected .at their lower parts by means of a link a retained in place by means of lugs d through which pass pins or bolts a2. The link a is provided with aseries of perforations d3 into any of which ,the bolts a2 will fit if required, so that the connection, and consequently the width of the collar below, are adjustable at will.

In the side pieces A the bars Bare adjust-- ably inserted, set screws b being provided lfor securing them in the desired position as shown` in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The bars B at their upper ends terminate in nuts b. C is a screw spindle upon the right and left screw-threads of which the said nuts b are adapted to move closer together or farther apart, as required. This screw spindle C constitutes the horizontal axis or pivot of the cross-joint connecting the collar to the saddle, upon which the bars or rods B are adapted to swing by means of their nuts b. Spindle C is itself, however, also adapted to swingen the pivot d as shown in Fig. This pivot d carries the saddle D exactly fitting the horses neck in shape and suitably padded on the inner side.

When the spindle C has right and left screw-threads, as shown in Fig. 1 it is only necessary to turn round the saddle D in order to 'cause the rods B at the same time to move toward or away from each other as the case may be. If however the thread ofthe screw spindle extends in the same` direction right through, each of the rods B must be turned about C separately. Each of these arrangef ments has its own peculiar advantages. In

the former the adjustment is more convenient and easy, and in the second a possibility is afforded of so altering the relative position of the side pieces to the saddle D as to accommodate any natural want of symmetry or constitutional defects of the animals neck. To put on the collar the preferable method is first to remove one of the pins or bolts a2, then to place the saddle D upon the neck and when this is securely settled in its place the collar is closed below when it will be seen that while the saddle at all times remains stationary the parts or links ofthe collar follow all the movements of the animals neck moving however with it and not against it. The saddle D is of course applicable also to non-adjustable horse collars the described arrangement being however in all cases preferable, for the object of the said saddle is not fully attained unless the collar is adjustable as described. In all adjustable horse collar arrangements hitherto known indeed the main reason why the adjustability was conlined to rather nar row limits was that the adjustable pieces were themselves mutuallyto support each other. Thus the collar could never be widened or contracted beyond certain limits, set by its own shape. Now the employment of a special support or carrier in the present arrangement enables the body of the collar proper to be adjusted in all directions to a practically unlimited extent.

It will indeed be observed that in addition to making the collar adjustable in width I prefer to render it adjustable in height also, and this adjustment of the height of the collar again could not be perfect without the use of the saddle as unless the collar is tightly and well fitted to the horses neck at least -in one point as it is by means of the saddle it may not in all cases ft the animal if extended in the direction of its length or height.

Instead of the cross joint shown, formed by the parts C and d, a ball and socket or any other suitable joint may be employed to con nect the carrying saddle D and the body of the collar.

I claim-,-

l. In a horse collar, the combination with the side pieces A, of the bars B adapted to telescope Within the pieces A, set-screws h, carried by the latter and bearing upon the bars B, threaded nuts b formed at the upper ends of said bars B, a threaded spindle C Working in said nuts, and a saddle D provided With a pivot or stud d, passing through the spindle and upon which pivot the spindle is adapted to swing, in the manner described.

2. In a horse collar, the combination with the side pieces A each provided at its lower end with a pair of lugs a', arranged one above the other, and provided with openings in alignment with each other, of a link a arranged between the upper and lower lugs of the pieces A and adapted to be adjusted lon gitudinally, a series of openings as in said link adapted to align with the openings in the lugs, and pins or bolts d2 passing through the aligned openings of the lugs and link, as described.

CARL AUGUST RICHARD AHL.

Witnesses:

OTTO WoLFF, HUGO DEMMER,

130th of Dresden. 

